Docklands on course for Mile Championship bid

All roads lead to Japan for Docklands as Harry Eustace targets a historic victory in the lucrative Mile Championship.

The five-year-old could not get a clear run but still managed to come home in fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day at Ascot, which produced a 100-1 shock winner in Cicero’s Gift.

Eustace believes his stable star has come out of the Group One contest in rude health and will be heading to Asia next month.

There had never been a European winner in the 31-year history of the Grade One race at Kyoto, which offers over £890,000 in prize money for first place.

The Park Lodge handler will also have Australian jockey Mark Zahra, who guided Docklands to Queen Anne Stakes success in June, back in the saddle in Japan.

“He seems fine. He seems his usual self so all good there,” Eustace said.

“I thought he ran super. Tom (Marquand, jockey) actually felt although visually it looked a slightly troubled passage, it was more the tacky ground that actually blunted his finish than the trip he got.

“I thought with either a perfectly clear trip or better ground he might have been third and sort of stay on to the line, but we were delighted with him.”

When asked if it is all systems go to Kyoto, Eustace said: “Very much so. I thought he looked as good as ever and as long as he’s in good form, he’ll still go.

“He flies on November 7 and then he runs on November 23.

“I’m pretty sure Mark Zahra’s going to come and ride him. We are delighted with that, he messaged after watching the race and he’s looking forward to it too.”